Former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish has urged the club to persuade Connor Goldson to sign a new contract at Ibrox as quickly as possible.

The Lowdown: Goldson's future in the balance

The 28-year-old's future at Ibrox remains in the balance. He has just one year left on his contract (Transfermartkt) and is reportedly a target for West Ham United (Football Insider).

The Gers are reportedly eager to give the defender a three-year deal, but there has been no official confirmation of such an offer as of yet.

The Latest: McLeish wants new Goldson deal

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish has urged the Gers to get an agreement sorted soon. When asked whether Goldson should be given a new deal. the 62-year-old said:

"I totally agree, they have to do that.

"They can’t waste any time on that. I’m sure that the agents would be on the front foot for tying him down, because he has been exceptional.

"The defence was pivotal to the Championship win, it looks as though Goldson loves playing for Rangers so I can’t see him going elsewhere.

"If they tied him down now, it just needs to be tweaked a little bit."

The Verdict: A must

There is no doubt about it - Rangers must hold on to Goldson for the long-term. While there were a number of players who contributed to the Gers' success last term, few - if any - had the impact of the 28-year-old, who was the only player to feature in every single minute of every game in all competitions.

There have been no reports of Goldson pushing for a move, which bodes well for the Gers. However, the longer it goes without a deal being done, the more questions that £6.75m-valued Goldson (Transfermarkt) will ask as to whether he wants to stay at Ibrox or move elsewhere. As McLeish says, Rangers really cannot afford to waste any time.

In other news, Dave King slams Rangers fans after this development.